Both authors of this page have a special interest in the chosen cultures depicted above. Jean Lovett descends from Celtic beginnings, and through her studies has grown her interest from mere curiosity to an intense hunger for any knowledge/wisdom she can unearth in her research. She is especially interested in the way Celtic traditions influenced the practice of Christianity in ancient Ireland. Rachel Blackmon, with a Jewish grandfather (paternal) and experience in Jewish Early Childhood Education, is especially fond of all things Jewish. From the high holidays to the simple Friday night Shabbat gathering, her love for Judaism grows more with each new experience/discovery. Together, this duo, has decided to come together in their passion for these respective cultures in an effort to educate middle school students in the spiritual roots, traditions, and meaning found within them. The Project: Students will explore the spirituality that exists within the traditions of both cultures (Judaism/Celtic), and will share their findings with classmates by use of Glogster, PowerPoint, or a skit. The class will then compare and contrast the elements found in the students' research through Venn Diagrams created in small groups. Bibliography
Google Image
Bloomfield, Jill, Janet Ozur Bass. Jewish Holidays Cookbook: Festive Meals for Celebrating the Year. 2008. 128p. London: DK. $17.50 (978-0756640897)
Always a favorite of Middle School Teachers, DK publishers comes through again with a cookbook targeted at children aged 8-12. This cookbook contains 40 recipes that cover 11 Jewish holidays and the historical foods used to celebrate each of the holidays. Author, Jill Bloomfield, partnered with Rabbi Janet Ozur Bass to ensure the authenticity of the contents of the traditional food. The array of foods found within these pages offers a taste of Jewish holidays as they are enjoyed in most Jewish homes. This cultural insight allows readers to experience some of what Jewish people deem extremely important in their spiritual traditions which is the food that accompanies the ritual.
Rationale: Students can learn about the ingredients and how integral food is to the celebration of tradition.
Jenny Butler explains the correlation between the Celtic New Year and Halloween. In an interview published in the Archaeology Institute’s Online Magazine, she discusses the Celtic tradition of measuring time by nights, as opposed to days, and how the end of the Celtic year is typically observed on October 31. Her research indicates that Samhain is a feast of the dead that marks the beginning of winter and draws a correlation to the Christian tradition of celebrating “All Hallow’s Eve” on the night before “All Saint’s Day.” In addition to the discussion of the Celtic New Year, this article covers rituals and sacred sites that have survived the centuries. The fact that this article is found within a scholarly publication dedicated to authentic resources speaks to the cultural authenticity of this piece.
Rationale: Students can integrate the knowledge of the origin of the tradition they have chosen with the way they portray the tradition to their classmates.
Image: Good Reads
Cookson, Cassandra. Edible History: Easy Ancient Celtic, Gallic and Roman Techniques for Leavening Bread Without Modern Commercial Yeast. N.p.: Amazon Digital Services, 2012. Kindle. $3.99(B008632CAY)
Cassandra Cookson explores ancient techniques in bread making in a straightforward and educational manner. This Kindle Edition will be useful in the study of how food was prepared in ancient times and this knowledge can be applied when comparing the food of traditional Celtic and Jewish holidays. Cookson teaches about the practices through sharing authentic recipes and this makes her cookbook an excellent resource for experiencing the culture and practices of these people groups.
Rationale: Students can see the authentic ingredients, how they differ today, and how important bread is to traditional celebrations.
Art: Amazon.com
Freeman, Philip. The Philosopher And The Druids: A Journey Among The Ancient Celts. 2006. 24p. Simon Schuster. $17.95. (0-7432-6280-8) Philip Freeman has written many books on Celtic culture. In this book, he ties in ancient stories and writings of the Greek Philosopher, Posidonius, and builds on archaeological evidence of religious rites and customs. Freeman's extensive knowledge of the ancient Celtic traditions and history provide a rich overview of the Celts and how they have impacted the modern world. As students explore the similarities and differences in cultural holidays, they can refer to the description of these ancient Celtic rites and customs to see how Celtic history has shaped many of the practices common in today's society.
Rationale: Students can integrate the evidence Freeman provides in their project.
The Worldbook Online Infofinder is a valuable resource for Middle School students. It provides easy to understand descriptions of historical events and defines cultural terms in modern day English. Included in the encyclopedia entries are pronunciation guides and embedded definitions of unfamiliar words. The description of Halloween's origins is an example of this: "Halloween developed from an ancient pagan festival celebrated by Celtic people over 2,000 years ago in the area that is now the United Kingdom, Ireland, and northwestern France. The festival was called Samhain (pronounced SOW ehn), which means summer's end. The festival marked the beginning of the dark winter season and was celebrated around November 1. In the 800's, the Christian church established a new holiday, All Saints' Day, on this date. All Saints' Day was also called All Hallows'. Hallow means saint, or one who is holy. The evening before All Hallows' was known as All Hallows' Eve, or as it came to be abbreviated, All Hallow e'en. This name was eventually shortened to Halloween." Note: This source requires either a subscription or a library card to gain access to all of the material. Rationale: Students can explore different descriptions, meanings, and nuances of the components of traditional celebrations by visiting multiple articles in this encyclopedic resource.
Image: Amazon.com
Heritage : Civilization and the Jews. Prod. WNET. Perf. Abba Eban. Home Vision Entertainment, 2001. DVD. $70.50 (B004FOAZAM)
Originally aired on PBS in 1984, Heritage showcased Jewish history from its beginnings to the current day practices of Judaism. The film combines rare archival film and modern videography, and while it is culturally authentic, it is easily understood by all. This DVD packages the film with a variety of interactive lessons, teacher aids, maps and a glossary. Of special interest to this study is the episode entitled "Shaping of Tradition" which covers the years 30-730 a.d. Narrated by Abba Soloman Eban, the video and DVD extras provide a complete package of history, culture, and traditions.
Rationale: This video can be viewed by the class as an introduction to the subject and the integrated lesson plans can help guide the students' choices of tradition.
ClipArt: Microsoft Office
MacCulloch, J. A. The Religion of the Ancient Celts. Comp. Ted Garvin and David King. London: Morris and Gibb, 1911. N. pag. Project Gutenberg. Project Gutenberg, 12 Jan. 2005. Web. 19 Apr. 2013. <http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14672/14672-h/14672-h.htm>. J. A. MacCullouch published this study regarding the origins of Celtic beliefs in 1911. This all-encompassing work details primitive holidays, gods, and supernatural beings such as fairies and wizards. Chapters 11-14 are of special interest when studying the early Celtic worship of nature and beings inhabiting nature. MacCullough goes into great detail and documents his research with the use of footnotes and references to many ancient and authoritative texts.
Rationale: Students can compare the origin of these traditions with the origins of their classmates' choices.
Google Image
Pinson, DovBer. The Purim Reader: The Holiday of Purim Explored. 2012. 52p. IYYUN. $4.99 (B007BVNHZQ)
Rav (Rabbi) DovBer Pinson is a highly esteemed author/scholar whose primary focus lies in Jewish culture/life/thought; this is likely due to his role as a Rabbi - a spiritual leader/teacher of Jewish faith. In this eBook he presents his readers with a thorough examination of the meaning of Purim. Pinson discusses the spiritual alignment with the ancient traditions of costumes, food, and song through an insightful discussion of the details surrounding the story of Queen Esther and the significance these details and correlating traditions hold for the Jewish community. Pinson’s authority on Jewish culture/religion gives him an edge in his delivery of any topic. Readers are anxious to hear what he has to say because his knowledge runs deep and his wisdom is vast.
Rationale: This text will aide in understanding how all the components of traditional celebrations align.
Image: Amazon.com
Religions of the World. Kultur Video, 2006. DVD. $19.99 (B000ETRA8C) This four part video series discusses the most-studied religions of civilization. Part one covers Celtic Saints and how Celtic religion melded with Christianity when it reached Ireland. Part four examines the beliefs shared by Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This unique focus on shared beliefs gives a greater sense of how civilizations have developed over the centuries. The videos were produced using reconstructions, newly captured video of ancient regions, and is narrated in a way that combines both facts and imagery. It is this art combined with thorough research which provides readers with a culturally authentic smattering of those religions focused on in this series of videos.
Rationale: Viewing these videos will give the students a greater awareness of the geography associated with the ancient peoples and how that may have influenced the beliefs.
Google Image
Steinberg, Paul.Celebrating the Jewish Year: Spring and Summer, Fall, Winter Holidays.2007, 2009. 220p. The Jewish Publication Society. $22.00 (978-0827608504, 978-0827608429, 978-0827608498) This trilogy, written by Paul Steinberg who is both a Rabbi and an educator, takes an in-depth look at Jewish holidays all year long. From Tu B' Shevat to Chanukkah, readers will receive a thorough and authentic account of origins, customs, rituals and variations. Keeping the text culturally authentic, Steinberg calls on a number of renowned Jews, including Elie Weisel and Rashi, whose essays, poems, and wisdom provide the bulk of the text while Steinberg helps to fill in any gaps or additional anecdotes.
Rationale: Students can integrate the knowledge of the origin of the tradition they have chosen with the way they portray the tradition to their classmates.
Both authors of this page have a special interest in the chosen cultures depicted above. Jean Lovett descends from Celtic beginnings, and through her studies has grown her interest from mere curiosity to an intense hunger for any knowledge/wisdom she can unearth in her research. She is especially interested in the way Celtic traditions influenced the practice of Christianity in ancient Ireland. Rachel Blackmon, with a Jewish grandfather (paternal) and experience in Jewish Early Childhood Education, is especially fond of all things Jewish. From the high holidays to the simple Friday night Shabbat gathering, her love for Judaism grows more with each new experience/discovery. Together, this duo, has decided to come together in their passion for these respective cultures in an effort to educate middle school students in the spiritual roots, traditions, and meaning found within them.
The Project: Students will explore the spirituality that exists within the traditions of both cultures (Judaism/Celtic), and will share their findings with classmates by use of Glogster, PowerPoint, or a skit. The class will then compare and contrast the elements found in the students' research through Venn Diagrams created in small groups.
Bibliography
Bloomfield, Jill, Janet Ozur Bass. Jewish Holidays Cookbook: Festive Meals for Celebrating the Year. 2008. 128p. London: DK. $17.50 (978-0756640897)
Always a favorite of Middle School Teachers, DK publishers comes through again with a cookbook targeted at children aged 8-12. This cookbook contains 40 recipes that cover 11 Jewish holidays and the historical foods used to celebrate each of the holidays. Author, Jill Bloomfield, partnered with Rabbi Janet Ozur Bass to ensure the authenticity of the contents of the traditional food. The array of foods found within these pages offers a taste of Jewish holidays as they are enjoyed in most Jewish homes. This cultural insight allows readers to experience some of what Jewish people deem extremely important in their spiritual traditions which is the food that accompanies the ritual.
Rationale: Students can learn about the ingredients and how integral food is to the celebration of tradition.
Butler, Jenny. "Halloween's Celtic Roots." Archaeology. 27 Oct. 2006: n. pag. Web. 19 Apr. 2013. <http://archive.archaeology.org/online/interviews/butler.html>.
Jenny Butler explains the correlation between the Celtic New Year and Halloween. In an interview published in the Archaeology Institute’s Online Magazine, she discusses the Celtic tradition of measuring time by nights, as opposed to days, and how the end of the Celtic year is typically observed on October 31. Her research indicates that Samhain is a feast of the dead that marks the beginning of winter and draws a correlation to the Christian tradition of celebrating “All Hallow’s Eve” on the night before “All Saint’s Day.” In addition to the discussion of the Celtic New Year, this article covers rituals and sacred sites that have survived the centuries. The fact that this article is found within a scholarly publication dedicated to authentic resources speaks to the cultural authenticity of this piece.
Rationale: Students can integrate the knowledge of the origin of the tradition they have chosen with the way they portray the tradition to their classmates.
Cookson, Cassandra. Edible History: Easy Ancient Celtic, Gallic and Roman Techniques for Leavening Bread Without Modern Commercial Yeast. N.p.: Amazon Digital Services, 2012. Kindle. $3.99 (B008632CAY)
Cassandra Cookson explores ancient techniques in bread making in a straightforward and educational manner. This Kindle Edition will be useful in the study of how food was prepared in ancient times and this knowledge can be applied when comparing the food of traditional Celtic and Jewish holidays. Cookson teaches about the practices through sharing authentic recipes and this makes her cookbook an excellent resource for experiencing the culture and practices of these people groups.
Rationale: Students can see the authentic ingredients, how they differ today, and how important bread is to traditional celebrations.
Freeman, Philip. The Philosopher And The Druids: A Journey Among The Ancient Celts. 2006. 24p. Simon Schuster. $17.95. (0-7432-6280-8)
Philip Freeman has written many books on Celtic culture. In this book, he ties in ancient stories and writings of the Greek Philosopher, Posidonius, and builds on archaeological evidence of religious rites and customs. Freeman's extensive knowledge of the ancient Celtic traditions and history provide a rich overview of the Celts and how they have impacted the modern world. As students explore the similarities and differences in cultural holidays, they can refer to the description of these ancient Celtic rites and customs to see how Celtic history has shaped many of the practices common in today's society.
Rationale: Students can integrate the evidence Freeman provides in their project.
"Halloween." Worldbook Online Info Finder. Worldbook Inc., n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2013. <http://www.worldbookonline.com/pl/infofinder/article?id=ar243460&st=halloween>.
The Worldbook Online Infofinder is a valuable resource for Middle School students. It provides easy to understand descriptions of historical events and defines cultural terms in modern day English. Included in the encyclopedia entries are pronunciation guides and embedded definitions of unfamiliar words. The description of Halloween's origins is an example of this: "Halloween developed from an ancient pagan festival celebrated by Celtic people over 2,000 years ago in the area that is now the United Kingdom, Ireland, and northwestern France. The festival was called Samhain (pronounced SOW ehn), which means summer's end. The festival marked the beginning of the dark winter season and was celebrated around November 1. In the 800's, the Christian church established a new holiday, All Saints' Day, on this date. All Saints' Day was also called All Hallows'. Hallow means saint, or one who is holy. The evening before All Hallows' was known as All Hallows' Eve, or as it came to be abbreviated, All Hallow e'en. This name was eventually shortened to Halloween."
Note: This source requires either a subscription or a library card to gain access to all of the material.
Rationale: Students can explore different descriptions, meanings, and nuances of the components of traditional celebrations by visiting multiple articles in this encyclopedic resource.
Heritage : Civilization and the Jews. Prod. WNET. Perf. Abba Eban. Home Vision Entertainment, 2001. DVD. $70.50 (B004FOAZAM)
Originally aired on PBS in 1984, Heritage showcased Jewish history from its beginnings to the current day practices of Judaism. The film combines rare archival film and modern videography, and while it is culturally authentic, it is easily understood by all. This DVD packages the film with a variety of interactive lessons, teacher aids, maps and a glossary. Of special interest to this study is the episode entitled "Shaping of Tradition" which covers the years 30-730 a.d. Narrated by Abba Soloman Eban, the video and DVD extras provide a complete package of history, culture, and traditions.
Rationale: This video can be viewed by the class as an introduction to the subject and the integrated lesson plans can help guide the students' choices of tradition.
MacCulloch, J. A. The Religion of the Ancient Celts. Comp. Ted Garvin and David King. London: Morris and Gibb, 1911. N. pag. Project Gutenberg. Project Gutenberg, 12 Jan. 2005. Web. 19 Apr. 2013. <http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14672/14672-h/14672-h.htm>.
J. A. MacCullouch published this study regarding the origins of Celtic beliefs in 1911. This all-encompassing work details primitive holidays, gods, and supernatural beings such as fairies and wizards. Chapters 11-14 are of special interest when studying the early Celtic worship of nature and beings inhabiting nature. MacCullough goes into great detail and documents his research with the use of footnotes and references to many ancient and authoritative texts.
Rationale: Students can compare the origin of these traditions with the origins of their classmates' choices.
Pinson, DovBer. The Purim Reader: The Holiday of Purim Explored. 2012. 52p. IYYUN. $4.99 (B007BVNHZQ)
Rav (Rabbi) DovBer Pinson is a highly esteemed author/scholar whose primary focus lies in Jewish culture/life/thought; this is likely due to his role as a Rabbi - a spiritual leader/teacher of Jewish faith. In this eBook he presents his readers with a thorough examination of the meaning of Purim. Pinson discusses the spiritual alignment with the ancient traditions of costumes, food, and song through an insightful discussion of the details surrounding the story of Queen Esther and the significance these details and correlating traditions hold for the Jewish community. Pinson’s authority on Jewish culture/religion gives him an edge in his delivery of any topic. Readers are anxious to hear what he has to say because his knowledge runs deep and his wisdom is vast.
Rationale: This text will aide in understanding how all the components of traditional celebrations align.
Religions of the World. Kultur Video, 2006. DVD. $19.99 (B000ETRA8C)
This four part video series discusses the most-studied religions of civilization. Part one covers Celtic Saints and how Celtic religion melded with Christianity when it reached Ireland. Part four examines the beliefs shared by Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This unique focus on shared beliefs gives a greater sense of how civilizations have developed over the centuries. The videos were produced using reconstructions, newly captured video of ancient regions, and is narrated in a way that combines both facts and imagery. It is this art combined with thorough research which provides readers with a culturally authentic smattering of those religions focused on in this series of videos.
Rationale: Viewing these videos will give the students a greater awareness of the geography associated with the ancient peoples and how that may have influenced the beliefs.
Steinberg, Paul. Celebrating the Jewish Year: Spring and Summer, Fall, Winter Holidays.2007, 2009. 220p. The Jewish Publication Society. $22.00 (978-0827608504, 978-0827608429, 978-0827608498)
This trilogy, written by Paul Steinberg who is both a Rabbi and an educator, takes an in-depth look at Jewish holidays all year long. From Tu B' Shevat to Chanukkah, readers will receive a thorough and authentic account of origins, customs, rituals and variations. Keeping the text culturally authentic, Steinberg calls on a number of renowned Jews, including Elie Weisel and Rashi, whose essays, poems, and wisdom provide the bulk of the text while Steinberg helps to fill in any gaps or additional anecdotes.
Rationale: Students can integrate the knowledge of the origin of the tradition they have chosen with the way they portray the tradition to their classmates.